RAF Aircrew Trade/Branch

Discussion in 'World War 2' started by Jerome, Jul 1, 2009.

  1. Jerome

    Jerome Member

    Can anyone help to decipher what the trade/branch is referred to in the following:
    1811265 - W.R. Luck - British Guiana - attested 5.11.42 - Ach/P.N.B. - commissioned 11.8.43 [Source: NA AIR 2/6876 - Nominal Roll of Coloured Candidates, October 1944]
    1377112 - P/O V.B. Hazell - Jamaica - attested 29.8.40 - Flight/Mech. (’Jet Eng’?) - commissioned 9.6.44 - DFM [Source: NA AIR 2/6876 - Nominal Roll of Coloured Candidates, October 1944]

    Also confusing is the term Air Bomber - in one case, the deceased was NOT the pilot of a Mosquito, but cwgc has his trade as Air Bomber, though in a letter home, he qualified as a Nav- have also seen the trade A/B = ?Air Bomber?

    Ach I know is the wartime equivalent of TAG.

    Any answers/guesses appreciated. Jerome
     
  2. Kyt

    Kyt Άρης

    PNB would have been the training scheme rather than actual trade. It stands for "Pilot/Navigator/Bomb Aimer", and introduced later in the war. After the selection interview for the RAF, a candidate deemed a possibility for one of these roles would be sent on a different training scheme to those who chosen for one of the other aircrew trades, with air gunners, wireless operators and flight engineers being sent to different training establishmenets. For PNB candidates the decision as to which of the three roles they would end up in be made during flying training.

    Flight/Mech should be Flight Engineer (as confirmed by his DFM). "Jet Eng" is a mystery. He was with 101 Squadron when he received his DFM for excellent and cool performance over 28 missions.

    101 Squadron (Lancasters) was special for operating ABC which was an airborne jamming system, but that was operated by German speakers, and I have never heard of them being referred to as Jet Eng


    Before 1942, the role of Observer combined the role of Navigator and Bomber Aimer (also called Air Bomber). However, from 1942 the roles was split into the two, which was fine on a heavy bomber. But on Mossies the role was again combined, as the aircraft only carried a crew of two, but the crew member would initially have trained as one or the other (almost always as a Navigator), and worn the Navigator brevat.
     
  3. Jerome

    Jerome Member

    Kyt, Many thanks for clearing up the trade terminologies! I take it that those sporting the O badge were always pre '42?
     
  4. Kyt

    Kyt Άρης

    Errr yes and no :)

    Officially, the role of Observer was split in mid-1942. However:

    1) many of those who had trained as Observers continued to wear their 'O' after this date, even though they would have been re-assigned as either a Air Bomber or Navigator. Their arguement was that they trained hard for that role and so would resist any official attem,pts at taking taht away.

    2) Though officially the change was supposed to occur in mid-1942, it didn't really occur practically until very early 1943, so many of those undergoing training for most of 1942 were presented with the O wing rather the B or N
     
  5. Jerome

    Jerome Member

    Okay, so O wings would be 42 or earlier then.
     

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